Tips for getting started on Fiverr
For all it’s flaws, if done right, Fiverr can be pretty lucrative.
Fiverr is the first place I started to earn actual money from doing voice over. It’s pretty easy to get started and if you put the work in, it can earn you some pretty good money. I know a lot of people in the industry sort of look down their nose at Fiverr, and I can see why. Even the name of the site suggests that you’re going to be getting services for cheap …. And unfortunately, that is the case sometimes. But the thing to remember about Fiverr, is that you set your own prices, so it’s really up to you what you earn. There will always be companies out there who want something for nothing. Who want a professional, broadcast quality service for peanuts, but that doesn’t have to be you!
I will add here though that it is a good idea to start with low pricing. There are a huge amount of people on Fiverr trying to make it doing the same thing as you and clients aren’t going to know if they can trust you or your services if you’ve just hopped on the platform. It’s better to expect your first few jobs to pay barely anything and think of them as just building up your site portfolio and getting in some reviews. That being said, one of the biggest mistakes I think I made in my voice over career was not raising those prices soon enough. You have to trust in your own abilities and know your worth. So once you’ve completed a few jobs and you have some reviews under your belt, don’t be afraid to move your prices so that they’re somewhere near a rate that you’re comfortable working at.
When setting up your first gig, make sure you do some research around what other people are doing on the platform. What language are they using in their titles, what kind of images are they using? Maybe you can take some ideas, while also thinking about how to stand out! Also have a think about the different types of voice over you offer – do you read commercial scripts as well as audio books? Then make sure to have a different gig for each one. This will also allow you to use more specific key words and tags which will help your gig rankings.
Don’t forget your thumbnails. Psychologically, people like to see faces when they’re browsing (even if it’s just your voice they’re hiring). Again, take a look at what other people are doing and see what bits you think would fit your branding. The thumbnail is the first thing that grabs people so maybe try a bright colour or something contrasting.
Reviews are incredibly important. This is how clients will know they can trust you (because there are some real scam artists out there!) Clients are prompted to leave a review, but if they don’t, don’t be afraid to drop them a polite message explaining that reviews really help and asking them to do so! Also, if you’ve worked on a project you’re excited about, you can also ask if they’re happy for you to use this in a portfolio of work!
Always make a good first impression. The best work, is repeat work! So if you have a new client, try and go the extra mile. Do the extra revision without charging. Offer to record 2-3 takes so they have variation. They’re much more likely to come back with more work if they’ve had a great service!
Lastly, don’t forget to keep trying different things and check out the competition from time to time. Change the odd key word or update your thumbnails. It all helps you find out what works and what the algorithm likes.
There will always be people that want voice over for cheap, and there will always be people who will provide voice over for cheap. But if you’re happy to start low and then stick to your guns when it comes to pricing – Fiverr can be a great addition to your toolkit when it comes to earning money.